The Painted Skull - Preview

The neolithic peoples of the Middle East practiced a strange burial ritual between 7,000 and 6,000 BCE (9-8 kya). They took the skulls of their ancestors and added decorations, or covered it in plaster and paint. These otherworldly portraits of the death graced a prominent spot inside people's houses. Soon, I will be releasing a post on the subject, exploring its birth and significance within neolithic society. To peak your interest, here's a picture of some of these skulls...

Two skulls from Jericho, made around 9 kya. 2spooky

Also here's a fun map of the region and timeline, by myself. It's markers on a piece of paper, there's no silly copyright.

Cultural sites in the Middle East from 12-7 kya. Red: Natufian sites (Jericho ca. 12 kya, Gobekli Tepe ca. 11.5 kya). Purple: PPNB sites (Catalhoyuk ca. 9.5-7.7 kya, Umm Dabaghiya ca. 8.5-8 kya). Yellow: Late Neolithic and Early Chalcolithic sites (Eridu ca. 7 kya, Hassuna ca. 8-7.2 kya, Halaf ca. 7.5-6.8 kya, Faiyum ca. 8 kya). The dotted line in the Gulf is the modern shoreline.

So stay tuned, and Happy Halloween!